She couldn’t stop the smile that bloomed on her face as she met his eyes. “I got your text message.”
A light lit his eyes, turning them the color of a spring morning. “I can’t believe you’re here.” Sammy reached out a hand but stopped short of touching her.
She let go of the doorknob. “I just got back last night.”
“Is everything okay with your grandpa?”
“What—oh, yes. He’s fine. I didn’t come back because of that.”
His eyes held hers now. “Why did you come back?”
She felt rather than saw a few curious gazes cast their way. “Come by the bakery tomorrow. We can have that talk.”
“There’s no way I am waiting that long.” Sammy shoved his hands in his pockets.
She glanced at the people milling around. “I don’t want to have this conversation in front of fifty of Deep Haven’s finest.” She wanted to be seen and known, but this might be a bit much.
Vivien walked up and patted Robin on the arm. “Love the cake, Robin. Well done. Thanks for bringing it. But you must have been working on it all day.”
Robin shrugged, held Sammy’s gaze. “It’s not the first time I’ve made a cake under pressure.”
Colleen chose that moment to walk through the door. A cold blast of wind hit them. Colleen held hands with a tall, dark-blond-haired man. “Robin!” she squealed and threw her arms around her friend. “It’s so good to see you. I thought you were in Paris.”
Colleen held Robin out at arm’s length. “Oh! This is Jack.” She pulled the man forward. “My fiancé.” Colleen dangled a hand in front of Robin, the glint of a diamond on her third finger.
“Colleen! Congratulations.” She gave her friend another swift hug. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sammy shaking Jack’s hand.
Robin gave Sammy a small shrug. There was no way she was having this conversation in the middle of a party.
Sammy turned his head left and right. “Congrats, Jack and Colleen. We’ll have to catch up later. Right now I need to talk to Robin.”
He reached for her hand. The warmth of his palm ran all the way along her arm and into her heart. “C’mere.” He led her to a small room smelling faintly of dampness and lemon and tugged the door shut behind them.
“Did you just pull me into the janitor’s closet?” Rags and cleaning supplies filled one shelf while another held footballs and baseball equipment.
The floor space was only large enough for them to stand still in the middle of the room, practically touching.
It was her new favorite room on the planet.
“It was the closest quiet space I could think of.” Sammy looked down at their joined hands and dropped hers like it had burned him. He smiled sheepishly. “Maybe I should have waited for tomorrow.” He put his hand on the doorknob behind him.
“No! Wait.” Robin placed her hand on his chest. His heart thrummed against her palm. “You’re right. I can’t wait until tomorrow either.”
His breath hitched. “So, you got my text? That can’t be why you came home. I only sent it this morning.”
“I didn’t come home because Grandpa Jim was sick or because I lost my job again. I chose to come home. I decided late last week, actually.”
Sammy inched a hand up until it covered hers on his chest. “How long are you in town for?”
She let a slow smile cross her lips as she looked up at him. “I’m here to stay.”
His eyes widened. “What are you saying?”
She flipped her hand over so she was holding his. “Sammy, I’m so sorry for the things I said. You’re the bravest man I know. I never should have said otherwise.”
“No. You were right. I was hiding. Your words shook me out of the coasting course I’d been on. I’m the one who is sorry. You were only chasing your dreams, and I should have supported that.” He squeezed her hand, his touch sending a jolt of electricity through her. “I was only angry because I was hurt that I wasn’t being chosen again. All my life I’ve been second fiddle, the lineman and not the quarterback. Your choice needled that spot in my heart.”
“I am so sorry. I realized my choices must have felt that way to you. I never wanted to hurt you.”
